Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 36 Recruiting Sichuan Army

"Company commander, should we provide support to them?" Sun Wukong asked.

"With our limited firepower, we're not even going to support them. We should just stay out of their way. I heard gunfire just now; they have at least 10 machine guns. They're really rich," Zhou Liansheng said enviously.

"Get hidden, all of you. Don't get hurt by stray bullets. We're the last few left in our regiment, so you all need to be careful with your lives," Zhou Liansheng said with a serious expression.

"Company commander, that's definitely no problem. I hid very well," Sun Wukong said.

"Sun Wukong, you don't need to hide. Get up and quickly go tell Old Yang that we're saved. We don't need to run anymore." Company Commander Zhou kicked a monkey lying on the ground.

"Company commander, let me catch my breath first," Sun Wukong said weakly.

"Follow orders! You're the fastest runner in our company, that's why we call you Sun Wukong. Hurry up and catch up with Old Yang and the others. I'm worried they might be in danger. These guys in front of us are really strong in combat. This squad of Japanese soldiers is no match for them." Company Commander Zhou kicked Sun Wukong, who was lying on the ground, again.

"Okay, okay, okay, I'll go after them right away." Sun Wukong stood up from the ground and hung the weights he was carrying around Company Commander Zhou's neck.

"Company commander, please hold this for me, I'll be right back." With that, Sun Wukong hurriedly took off running.

"You little brat, you really deserve a beating." Company Commander Zhou angrily removed the thing from his neck.

Just as he was speaking, the Japanese soldiers who had been pursuing them were being gradually wiped out by the suddenly appearing unit, and Company Commander Zhou observed that none of the troops attacking the Japanese suffered any losses. Company Commander Zhou was now astonished by the enemy's formidable fighting strength...

"Where did this unit come from with such high combat effectiveness? The Central Army? Those bastards in the Central Army have such high combat effectiveness? Can these bastards support our Sichuan Army?" Company Commander Xin Zhou was wondering which unit it was.

As he was pondering this, the soldiers cleaning up the battlefield opposite him suddenly walked towards him. Company Commander Zhou quickly organized his troops into a line. He had barely finished getting his soldiers into formation when the other side reached him.

Taking advantage of this moment, Company Commander Zhou quietly kept an eye on the group of people in front of him. The leader of the group was very young, looking no more than 20 years old, but his face exuded an air of authority, suggesting that he was someone in charge.

The young man leading the group of others were all dressed in yellow-green clothing, adorned with withered leaves. It's safe to say that if someone wearing these clothes hid in the forest, they wouldn't be easily spotted.

Moreover, the equipment of this group of soldiers was surprisingly good. In a group of more than ten men, he even saw two submachine guns. He had only seen those submachine guns in the German-equipped divisions of the Central Army; they were imported from Germany and had incredibly powerful firepower. Looking at the Central Army's weapons, these Sichuan soldiers could only feel envy. They never expected to find them in this remote mountain area.

Aside from German-made submachine guns, they were all equipped with Japanese Type 38 rifles. If these men hadn't saved him, Company Commander Zhou would have almost suspected they were Japanese soldiers in disguise.

"Which department are you from?" Tang Weiguo asked.

“We are from the 22nd Army Group Corps. My name is Zhou Liansheng, and I am the company commander of this unit. Thank you for your support.” Zhou Liansheng gave Tang Weiguo a standard military salute.

"The Sichuan Army? These guys are truly dedicated to the War of Resistance. I was deeply moved when I watched 'My Chief and My Regiment' before they died. I have to find a way to keep them here. Judging from their appearance, they are all veterans who survived the battlefield. Such high-quality soldiers cannot be easily abandoned," Tang Weiguo thought to himself.

"Brothers of the Sichuan Army, my name is Tang Weiguo. You've worked hard. I've long heard of the Sichuan Army's reputation. You're really fighting the Japanese. Company Commander Zhou, what a good name! It's auspicious for continuous victories. May we win every battle against the Japanese in the future." Tang Weiguo emphasized the word "we" especially.

While speaking, Tang Weiguo was also subtly observing the group of people in front of him. The Sichuan soldiers before him were ragged and bloodstained, clearly survivors of a battle. Judging from their weapons, which were similar to those used by the soldiers in his own supply battalion, it was truly remarkable that these Sichuan soldiers were fighting so desperately against the Japanese with such limited weaponry.

Looking at the Sichuan soldiers before him, Tang Weiguo became even more determined to keep them. At least in his hands, with the weapons and equipment he had prepared for them, they could play a greater role.

"Brother Tang, you're joking with me. Don't even mention it. Our Sichuan Army regiment left Sichuan to fight the Japanese alongside the Nationalist government. We suffered defeat after defeat, going from the north to the south. Now, only a handful of us are left in our regiment. We Sichuan Army have failed the people of Sichuan." Zhou Liansheng's voice was filled with sorrow.

"Company Commander Zhou, this is not the soldiers' fault. I see that your weapons and equipment are not very good. How can you fight the Japanese with such equipment?"

"Don't even mention it. That bastard Yan Xishan doesn't like our Sichuan Army. We went through so much trouble to come and support them, and they were willing to give us supplies, but they only allocated us a small amount of weapons. They really screwed over our Sichuan Army," Zhou Liansheng cursed.

Hearing this, Tang Weiguo remained silent, letting out a deep sigh. The Nationalist government was riddled with warlords, unable to unite in the fight against the Japanese invasion; each was pursuing their own selfish interests.

"By the way, may I ask which unit your unit belongs to? Judging from your equipment, you should be part of the Central Army, right?" Zhou Liansheng pointed to one of the soldiers' German-made submachine guns.

"Company Commander Zhou, you flatter me. How can we compare to the renowned Central Army? We don't have a formal organization. Please allow me to formally introduce myself. I am the head of the Tangjia Town militia," Tang Weiguo formally introduced himself.

After Zhou Weiguo finished his introduction, the soldiers of his special reconnaissance company couldn't help but puff out their chests with pride.

"Ah, are you kidding me? You're telling me you're a militia? What kind of militia has this kind of fighting power?" Zhou Liansheng was filled with questions in his mind.

"Who the hell can tell me whose militia has this kind of fighting power, beating those Japanese devils to a pulp?" Zhou Liansheng thought to himself, he simply didn't believe it.

"Commander Tang, don't joke with me. The militia doesn't have your equipment or combat capabilities. Those Type 38 rifles you're carrying must be captured." Zhou Liansheng said in disbelief.

"Company Commander Zhou, I'm not lying to you, we really are a militia, without any official organization." Tang Weiguo clarified again that he was a member of a militia.

"Damn, I feel like we've been a regular army for nothing. Just watching your fight with the Japanese, your combat effectiveness is really high," Zhou Liansheng praised.

"The Japanese devils only had the advantage of weaponry. They fought us with real swords and guns, but they still couldn't beat us," Tang Weiguo said modestly.

"Damn it, if our Sichuan Army had equipment like the Japanese devils, we wouldn't have suffered such a defeat. We Sichuan Army didn't have good weapons, so we could only use our flesh and blood to resist the Japanese planes, tanks, and artillery. We paid too high a price," Zhou Liansheng said bitterly.

"Company Commander Zhou, what's the next step?" Tang Weiguo asked, turning the conversation to him.

"I haven't decided yet. I don't know where the other Sichuan soldiers went. If I join another unit, I'll easily become cannon fodder."

"Company Commander Zhou, since that's the case, are you interested in joining our militia to fight the Japanese? Don't worry about the weapons and equipment; I can provide a company's worth of decent gear," Tang Weiguo asked directly.

"Commander Tang, let me discuss this with my brothers before giving you an answer," Zhou Liansheng said without refusing.

“Okay, sure, you two discuss it first, we’ll wait here,” Tang Weiguo said.

"What do you all think about joining them?" Zhou Liansheng asked.

"Company commander, I think it's a good idea. The enemy's equipment is so good, we won't be at a disadvantage if we go. They even said they'd give us a whole company's worth of equipment."

"Company commander, we don't know where to find a unit. Those guys in the German government don't like our Sichuan Army. If we go there, we'll just be cannon fodder. We might as well follow the young guys from before. It doesn't matter who we fight the Japanese with. Besides, these guys are really fierce when they fight the Japanese. They just go for it, and they're to my liking."

“Alright, let’s deal with these militia brothers first, and we’ll talk again when we get news from our own troops.” Zhou Liansheng agreed when everyone else did. He then turned and walked over to Tang Weiguo.

"Commander Tang, we agree to join."

"Alright, the militia welcomes you." Tang Weiguo said, his face beaming with joy as he tightly grasped Company Commander Zhou's hand.

"Company commander, we're back!" Sun Wukong shouted.